The University of Pennsylvania's Urban Law Forum

Irv Ackelsberg
Esquire, Langer Grogan & Diver, PC

Mr. Ackelsberg joined Langer Grogan & Diver, PC, a plaintiff’s consumer and antrust litigation firm, in September 2006.  Irv is a prominent public interest lawyer who, prior to joining the firm, practiced for 30 years with Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia, one of the nation’s premier civil legal aid programs.  A nationally recognized advocate for consumer justice, he has been representing victims of predatory financial services for many years, since long before the country was forced to confront the devastation caused by the subprime mortgage business.  His practice has included extensive individual representation of homeowners—in state court foreclosure defense, in affirmative litigation and in bankruptcy court—as well as policy advocacy on the local, state and national level.  He has authored a number of articles and is a contributing author of the Pennsylvania Consumer Law treatise.  He has frequently lectured or testified before diverse audiences, from Congress and the Federal Reserve Board to local community groups and service providers.  In 2005, Irv received the prestigious Vern Countryman Award from the National Consumer Law Center, for his lifetime achievement on behalf of low-income consumers.  He was also a recipient of the Philadelphia Bar Association's 2001 Andrew Hamilton Award for exemplary service in the public interest.

The Honorable Steven Kaplan
Esquire, Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking

Steven Kaplan was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell on June 14, 2007, and confirmed as Secretary of Banking by unanimous vote of the Pennsylvania Senate on September 18, 2007. Secretary Kaplan provides overall leadership to the state Banking Department, which supervises Pennsylvania state-chartered banks, thrifts, credit unions and trust companies.
The Department also licenses about 11,000 non-depository financial services companies which provide a variety of consumer loans and services. In order to protect Pennsylvania consumers, the Department ensures the safety and soundness of all state-chartered depository institutions as well as the compliance of all regulated entities with prevailing law. As Secretary, Kaplan is the Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and the Commonwealth Financing Agency. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, the Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority, the Pennsylvania Community Development Bank Operational Committee, the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and the State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers.

Kaplan was born and raised in Philadelphia and attended the city's public schools. After graduating from Central High School, he attended Temple University where he earned a B.A. in English, followed by a J.D. from the university’s law school in 1977. Kaplan worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia prosecuting economic crimes until 1982, when he was hired by Girard Bank, which later became known as Mellon Mid-Atlantic.

Immediately before joining the Department of Banking, Kaplan served as chief of staff for Mellon Financial Corporation’s Mid-Atlantic region as well as chairman of the Mellon Mid-Atlantic Charitable Trusts. These duties culminated a 25-year career at Mellon Mid-Atlantic during which Kaplan served in several capacities including Chief Litigation Counsel and General Counsel.

Always active in civic and charitable affairs, Mr. Kaplan has held various board and volunteer positions. Currently, he is a member of the President’s Advisory Board at Temple University and a trustee at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. He also serves on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, Congreso De Latinos Unidos and the Anti-Defamation League.